This invention relates generally to a slide hammer, and more particularly, to a pull slide hammer having a removable tip which may be selectively locked into the slide hammer.
Pull slide hammers are used for a variety of purposes, such as pulling an item from a structure, or removing a dowel pin. Some slide hammers include a hook that latches onto the item for removal by a pulling force. When removing a dowel pin, the slide hammer typically includes a threaded tip, which is received in a threaded bore of the dowel pin. The dowel pin may then be pulled by the slide hammer for removal.
Due to the variety of uses of the pull slide hammer, it is desirable for the tip to be exchangeable with another tip. When a removing a dowel pin, for example, the tip of the slide hammer must conform with threaded bore which may have a variety of dimensions depending on the dowel pin. It is also desirable to sometimes replace the tip.
It is known in the art to provide a pull slide hammer with a removable tip, which may be exchanged for another tip. Due to the pulling force, however, the tip must be rigidly secured to the slide hammer. In a manufacturing environment, the tip of the pull slide hammer is semi-permanently attached to the slide hammer. Although the tip be removed, it cannot be removed easily or quickly.
It is known in the art to provide a pull slide which includes a locking pin that extends laterally relative to the shaft for selectively locking the tip. The locking pin is inserted through aligned apertures in the shaft and in the tip. The pin extends laterally beyond the dimensions of the shaft. The opposing ends of the locking pin each include a structure preventing removal. It is undesirable, however, to have any structure beyond the lateral dimensions of the shaft, particularly if the slide hammer must extend through narrow passageways. In addition, any structure beyond on an outside surface of the slide hammer shaft is likely to catch on various items in the environment of the dowel pins.
Therefore, an aspect of this invention is to provide a pull slide hammer having an exchangeable tip that may be easily locked into a position.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a pull slide hammer having a removable tip, wherein the entire locking structure for the tip is in an internal cavity of the pull slide hammer shaft.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a slide hammer having a removable tip which may be released from a distal end of the slide hammer.